Compottnb wagon-box



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I. DRAKE, OF MANSFIELD, NEWY JERSEY.

COMPOUND WAGON-BOX.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 7,575, dated August 20, 1850.

T o all whom 2f may concern Be it known that I, IMLA Duane, of Mansfield, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in the Fastenings of Loaded Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which makes a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the application of jointed screw bolts of adequate strength, attached by eyes, hooks or any other convenient and equivalent device to the axles frame or other so-lid parts of the vehicle, and capable of being laid down or set up at pleasure, and of such length as when standing erect to extend above the top of any load intended to be carried, and combined with the parts hereinafter mentioned. Upon two of these jointed bolts are slipped two cross pieces by means of holes in said cross pieces near their ends.

Above the upper cross piece there is on each bolt a nut to press down the upper cross piece upon two side pieces which side pieces resting on the lower cross piece, also press it down upon the lower part of the load, while at the same time being held in place by the pressure of the screws they-constitute the sides ofa, box suitable for holding light articles of loading such as could not be conveniently held down by the lower cross pieces or which would not allow of being pressed down with suiicient force to hold them wit-hout inclosure while being conveyed.

My invention is applicable to vehicles of any number of wheels and to loading of various kinds but it is particularly useful in conveying at the same time boards or other lumber upon the lower part of the carriage, and other articles of produce o-r Vmerchandise on the upper' part. The present mode commonly in use for fastening lumber, is by means of chains or ropes, combined with twisting levers or similar contrivances, requiring for their application the power of one o-r two strong` persons while there is commonly no convenient or expeditious means of setting up and holding the box or body designed to retain light and delicate articles required to be carried at the same time. Lumber carriages, often consist simply of a skeleton of a wagon that is of its axles, rocker and perch or t-he side pieces and bare frame of the body. To make such a vehicle for conveying the lumber and light merchandise in one load, and also to make thevehicle when unloaded convenient and manageable, the fastenings must be capable of easy adaptation to the loaded and unloaded state of the carriage, being capable of lying horizontal when unloaded and standing erect when the load is to be put in place. My fastenings are not only capable of being thus laid down and out of the way by means of their joints at the bottom when the carriage is unloaded, but are of so easy application to the load that the strength of a mere boy is adequate to fasten the heaviest load, to set up the side pieces, fix them in place and. prepare the vehicle for fulfilling all its purposes. This will in many cases not only save time, but also expense for labor, by dispensing with one or more hands.

lVhen there are sho-rt permanent uprights attached to the axle and rocker of a wagon, my screw bolts are held in an upright position by sliding straps slipping over the bolts and also over the heads of the permanent uprights and when those straps are slipped off of the heads of the uprights they go with the bolts down to their horizontal position.

Uien the Carriage has received the lower part of its load, and it has been fastened down, the upper cross pieces are raised far enough above the lower to allow the side pieces to go between them, and then the upper and lower cross pieces at each end serve to hold on the inside a fore board and a tail board together with a floor which with the side pieces will make a compplete box, for the retention of any small or light articles; even apples, potatoes, or otherfarm produce may be carried in this compartment. Bolts'(b) may pass down through holes a" in the cross bars to retain the forle and hind board.

In the drawing S, S, are screw bolts, I, I, are the joints connecting the bolts with either the axle X, the rocker R or any convenient point on the body A (when a body is used). B is the lower and B the upper cross bar on the same pair of screw bolts S S.

n, n, are nuts above the upper cross bar B and n, n, are nuts belon7 the lower cross bar B. It is one purpose of the pair of nuts n', n, to hold up the cross bar B while the lower part of the load is being put into place, after which they are turned down or released so as to allow the bar B to be firmly pressed down upon the lower part of the loading. This is done by setting in place the side pieces H, H, and turning down t-he nuts n, n.

Gr G are straps passing over the bolt S, S, and the top of the uprights K, K, for holding up the bolts while the -load is on the vehicle and for slipping off of R and releasing the bolt, when the bolts and cross bars are to be taken down or laid horizontal.

The sides A and the other parts of the -lower body of the wagon may be dispensed with .when lumber and similar loading consisting of long articles are to go upon the axles or bed of the wagon. Such lumber or other articles may t-hendepend for their confinement solely on the screwing down of the cross pieces B, by means of the nuts n, n.

By putting boards tlatwise to form a floor upon the cross pieces B, B, between the side pieces H, H, and short upright end boards as above described, within the two cross pieces B and B there will be formed a close box not depending on the lower part of the load for its bot-tom. Such box retains itsY load even after the under 'part of the load (the lumber) has been withdrawn. The pressure on the lower part of the load must for this purpose be relased b-y unscrewing the compressing nuts n, n, and `then turning upward the nuts n n till t-he cross bars, and the box or body which they help to form together with its loading has been slightly raised out of Contact with the lower part of the loading, so that the boards, Sac., may

be drawn out. On again drivino' down the screws n, u, so as to vbring sutiipcient pressurel on the side pieces H, H, t-he upper body or box with its contents will be secured resting for support on the nuts n. This is often found a great advantage when the wagoner desires to dispose of his lumber without disturbing his light loading. After the light loading has also been disposed of he is ready to take down the box, lay the fastenings upon the perch and put the flooring ends and side pieces above them or build the same parts into a box resting directly upon the axles according, to the requirements of his business.

Having thus described my invention I may add that I do not claim making two compartments in a wagon body, one above ano-ther, nor binding down a load to t-he bottom of the vehicle, or the setting up of side pieces to increase the height and capacity of a burden carriage; but

lVhat I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Making the fastenings of a. compound wagon body by combining with screw bolts so jointed to the axles, frame, or body of the carriage, as to be laid down, or set up at pleasure, two cross pieces to each pair of bolts, with pressure `nuts above the upper, and sustaining nuts beneath the lower cross bar, whereby the whole load may readily and easily bel secured, or the lower part may be released, and withdrawn, without disturbing that which is above it, substantially as herein set forth.

y IMLA BRAKE. Witnesses:

JOHN R. BARTON, J. G. JOHNSTON. 

